


Aftermath

by akire_yta



Category: Firefly
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-24
Updated: 2013-08-24
Packaged: 2017-12-24 13:36:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/940597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akire_yta/pseuds/akire_yta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inara's actions with the crew of the Serenity have finally caught up with her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftermath

The day the news came, Inara retreated to her shuttle and refused to open the door for three days. Mal triedcoaxing, he tried threats, he even tried the 'this is my shuttle' line. For once, Inara didn't retaliate with a comment about paying the rent. She didn't retaliate at all.

That worried Mal more than all the rest put together.

On the fourth day, somehow, Shepard Book managed to talk his way through the airlock. He took a tray of food and drink, and his bible, and was in there for over two hours. Mal tried to get him to tell him what she had said.

"I will not break the sanctity of confession, Captain," Book told him calmly. Mal wondered what harm it would do to his already-damned self if he took a swing at a Shepard. Book must have seen it in his eyes, and gently touched his shoulder. "Have faith in her, Captain. Have faith."

He'd had faith in others at Serenity. It hadn't helped him then, either. He took himself off to the bridge to brood at the dark, until Wash broke into his thoughts.

"Ah, Captain? Inara is requesting permission to undock." Mal took the metal stairs three at a time.

He arrived at her door, banged on it, making it clear to the Verse tha he wasn't going away this time. Inara herself opened the door, serene and elegant in her green silks and delicate brocades.

"What in the name of suoyou de dou shidang are you doing, undocking?" He demanded. She didn't flinch at his ferocity. "The only place within range is the belt mining colony, and believe you me, that is no place for a lady."

Inara fixed him with that cold gaze that was as good as yet entirely unlike a sneer. "As you insisted on reminding me, Captain, the rent on this shuttle is almost due. I need to get back to work."

Mal folded his arms across his chest. He didn't know if he was protecting himself from the Verse or trying to stop his heart from dropping away. "Inara, weren't you disowned by the Companions Guild?"

She moved away, busying her hands with gathering and tidying. "I was, yes. But my savings will only last me so long, and unfortunately being trained as a Companion leaves you poorly skilled for other kinds of work." She looked up, and Mal saw in her eyes her wounded pride and pain and grief laid bare. "I guess now I really am a whore."


End file.
